Cincinnati Comic Expo!

I was put onto the Cincinnati Comic Expo a few months back by BookSteve. Since then, I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this debut comic book fan gathering. The more I read online, the more I think they are really taking time to build up something that might last.


I'm most excited to have a chance to see Murphy Anderson, the longtime DC penciller and inker, a man with one of the most elegant and lush lines in the industry. His Atomic Knights are stupendous and his work on the pencils of Curt Swan transformed my young comics brain.


This Tarzan ad seen in many a DC comic book shows his consumate skill.


Also on hand will be Russ Heath, an artist who specialized in war stories, but who could do crime equally well. Heath is possessed of uncanny draftsman talent and can tell stories effectively and beautifully. His work always seems perfectly nuanced and balanced.


Here is Heath's talent on display in possibly his most famous drawing, the lustrous and ubiquitours ad for Roman Soldiers that served as a back cover for countless comics.


The other draw for me is Moonstone Publishing. I've been a follower of theirs for years, though I've given up monthly comics for the most part. Their Phantom was a fave. I'm looking for a few of their prose collections and I hope to locate them at this convention.


Among the curious aspects of having a comic convention in Cincinnati, is the Union Terminal whic can be seen clearly as part of the Dave Aikins poster above. Union Terminal, one of the landmarks of the cityscape (once upon a time a hub of commerce, but now a museum) was the real building that inspired the Hall of Justice seen for so many years on the Super Friends cartoon show.



Day or night.



As you can see there is little denying the Hall of Justice's inspiration.

The use of the Roebling Suspension Bridge in the wonderful Allen Bellman poster art is inspired. A quick comparison of the real thing and Bellman's wonderful rendering shows how rooted in reality it is.



The folks putting this show together really seem to be hitting the right notes, and if possible I plan on attending, having a bit of fun, and maybe finding a few treasures. I need to save my nickels right now though.

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